Fiji Broadcasting Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) is one of the two radio
broadcasters in Fiji
. It was known as Fiji Broadcasting Commission when it began. It traces its history back to 1935 when it first began operating under licence from the Posts and Telegraphs Department with the call sign
ZJV. At the end of 1952, the Legislative Council
passed the Broadcasting Commission Bill. The commission members were appointed in June 1953. On July 1, 1954, the Commission’s first programme was broadcast as part of the official opening ceremony.
In January 1998 the Fiji Broadcasting Commission was corporatised under the then Government’s public sector reform programme and renamed Island Networks Corporation Limited but in June 1999, the new Government also led to another change in name - this time to the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited. Today it operates 6 radio stations; two in each of the major local languages (Fijian
, Hindustani, and English
).
Radio Fiji One and Radio Fiji Two are classified public service broadcast
stations governed under a contract between the government and the FBC which allows the government to "buy" airtime on both those stations as well as contributing towards its operations and costs. The other four stations are licensed under commercial
which means its funded through advertisements in contrast to public media which is mainly funded by the government and the public. The CEO of FBC is Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, a former Fiji Television
journalist as well as the younger brother of Fiji's Attorney General
, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
broadcasters in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. It was known as Fiji Broadcasting Commission when it began. It traces its history back to 1935 when it first began operating under licence from the Posts and Telegraphs Department with the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
ZJV. At the end of 1952, the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
passed the Broadcasting Commission Bill. The commission members were appointed in June 1953. On July 1, 1954, the Commission’s first programme was broadcast as part of the official opening ceremony.
In January 1998 the Fiji Broadcasting Commission was corporatised under the then Government’s public sector reform programme and renamed Island Networks Corporation Limited but in June 1999, the new Government also led to another change in name - this time to the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited. Today it operates 6 radio stations; two in each of the major local languages (Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
, Hindustani, and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
).
Stations
- Radio Fiji One (Fijian)
- Bula FM (Fijian)
- Radio Fiji Two (Hindustani)
- Radio Mirch (Hindustani)
- Radio Fiji Gold (English)
- 2DayFM (English)
Radio Fiji One and Radio Fiji Two are classified public service broadcast
Public broadcasting
Public broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
stations governed under a contract between the government and the FBC which allows the government to "buy" airtime on both those stations as well as contributing towards its operations and costs. The other four stations are licensed under commercial
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
which means its funded through advertisements in contrast to public media which is mainly funded by the government and the public. The CEO of FBC is Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, a former Fiji Television
Fiji Television
Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....
journalist as well as the younger brother of Fiji's Attorney General
Attorney-General (Fiji)
Fiji's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. According to the Constitution of Fiji, the Attorney-General is required to be a qualified lawyer and sits in the Cabinet. The office of the Attorney-General is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established...
, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Fiji's Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Industry, Investment, Tourism and Communications...
.